2008 Review Water Quality Standards for Salinity Colorado River System
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2008 Review Water Quality Standards For Salinity Colorado River System October 2008 Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum 2008 REVIEW WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FOR SALINITY COLORADO RIVER SYSTEM October 2008 Prepared by Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL FORUM MEMBERS ARIZONA Perri Benemelis, Manager, Office of Colorado River Management Department of Water Resources Joan Card, Director, Water Quality Division Department of Environmental Quality Larry R. Dozier, Deputy General Manager Central Arizona Water Conservation District CALIFORNIA Gerald R. Zimmerman, Executive Director Colorado River Board of California Celeste Cantú, General Manager Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority COLORADO Jennifer L. Gimbel, Director, Colorado Water Conservation Board Department of Natural Resources Steven H. Gunderson, Director, Water Quality Control Division Department of Public Health and Environment David W. Robbins, Attorney at Law NEVADA Anthony Miller, Colorado River Commission of Nevada Leo M. Drozdoff, Administrator, Division of Environmental Protection Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Kay Brothers, Deputy General Manager, Engineering/Operations Southern Nevada Water Authority NEW MEXICO John R. D’Antonio, Jr., P.E., State Engineer New Mexico State Engineer Office UTAH Dennis J. Strong, Director, Division of Water Resources Department of Natural Resources John Whitehead, Assistant Director, Water Quality Division Department of Environmental Quality Randy Crozier, General Manager Duchesne County Water Conservancy District WYOMING Patrick T. Tyrrell, State Engineer State Engineer's Office John F. Wagner, Administrator, Water Quality Division Department of Environmental Quality Dan S. Budd, Interstate Stream Commissioner FORUM Jack A. Barnett, Executive Director Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum i ii TRANSMITTAL LETTERS The Federal Water Pollution Control Act requires that at least once every three years the Basin states review water quality standards relating to the salinity of the waters of the River. The states collectively initiated this review under the auspices of the Forum, prepared a proposed Review and, after holding public meetings, prepared this final Review. Upon the Forum's adoption of the final Review, it is transmitted by letter to the governors of the individual states for their independent action. The following governors in each of the seven Basin states shall receive this Review: Honorable Janet Napolitano Honorable Bill Richardson Governor of Arizona Governor of New Mexico State Capitol State Capitol Phoenix, AZ 85007 Santa Fe, NM 87503 Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger Honorable Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. Governor of California Governor of Utah State Capitol State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 Salt Lake City, UT 84114 Honorable Bill Ritter, Jr. Honorable Dave Freudenthal Governor of Colorado Governor of Wyoming State Capitol State Capitol Denver, CO 80203 Cheyenne, WY 82002 Honorable Jim Gibbons Governor of Nevada State Capitol Carson City, NV 89701 iii SUMMARY This Review is a review of the water quality standards for salinity for the River. Section 303 of the Clean Water Act requires that water quality standards be reviewed from time to time, but at least once during each three-year period. Accordingly, the seven-state Forum has reviewed the existing state-adopted and USEPA approved water quality standards for salinity consisting of numeric criteria and a plan of implementation for salinity control for the River system. During the period of the 2005 Review, Reclamation enhanced its model to include analysis of the River salinity. The model has been used to make new salinity projections for this Review. Upon adoption by the Forum, this Review will be submitted to each of the Basin states for consideration as each state proceeds with its three-year water quality review process. The Forum recommends no change in the numeric salinity criteria at the three stations located on the lower main stem of the River. The numeric criteria at these stations will remain: Station Salinity in mg/L1 Below Hoover Dam 723 Below Parker Dam 747 At Imperial Dam 879 In past Reviews, the plan of implementation was intended to maintain the salinity concentrations at or below the numeric criteria while the Basin states continued to develop their compact-apportioned waters. Reclamation’s computer model runs indicate there is little probability of the numeric criteria being exceeded in the next three years. The Act requires the implementation of salinity control programs to reduce the salinity of the River. Reducing the salinity of the River will reduce economic damages. The plan of implementation accompanying the Review emphasizes the reduction of salinity levels to reduce economic damages in the Lower Basin, as well as providing benefits in the Upper Basin. The Forum’s plan of implementation includes: 1. Completion of Reclamation, BLM, and USDA-NRCS salinity control measures to the extent that each unit remains viable and appropriately cost-effective. 2. Completion of activities implemented under the cooperative agreements between Reclamation and the States of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. 3. Implementation of the Forum's recommended and adopted policies for effluent 1 Flow-weighted average annual salinity. iv limitations, principally under the NPDES permit program established by Section 402 of the Clean Water Act as amended. The implemented policies (included in Appendix B of this Review) are the following: Policy for Implementation of Colorado River Salinity Standards Through the NPDES Permit Program; NPDES Permit Program for Implementation of Colorado River Salinity Standards; Policy for Use of Brackish and/or Saline Waters for Industrial Purposes; Policy for Implementation of the Colorado River Salinity Standards Through the NPDES Permit Program for Intercepted Ground Water; and Policy for Implementation of the Colorado River Salinity Standards Through the NPDES Permit Program for Fish Hatcheries. 4. Implementation of non-point source management plans developed by the states and approved by the USEPA. The Program is a unique cooperative watershed effort between several federal agencies and seven states designated to meet national, international and state water quality objectives. Item 1 of the plan listed above is to be implemented by federal agencies in conjunction with state, local, and private participants. The Forum works jointly with federal agencies on developing measures to be implemented. The Forum also urges Congress to ensure that the funds necessary to successfully fulfill this plan of implementation are appropriated as needed. Item 2 above involves the expenditure of cost sharing funds required by The Act to be obtained from the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund and the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund. Items 3 and 4 above are primarily implemented by each of the Basin states. The water quality standards involve both a plan of implementation and numeric criteria. With the plan of implementation as proposed in this Review in place, the probability of exceeding the numeric criteria is low based on Reclamation computer model simulations. The analysis indicates the probability of exceedance of the numeric criteria with the plan of implementation in place in the next three years at the Hoover Dam, Parker Dam and Imperial Dam stations is 1% or less. This low probability of exceedance opportunity was an important factor in the Forum’s decision to adopt the plan of implementation accompanying this Review. v TABLE OF CONTENTS COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL FORUM MEMBERS............................................. i COLORADO RIVER BASIN MAP.............................................................................................................ii TRANSMITTAL LETTERS .......................................................................................................................iii SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................................viii PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW...................................................................................................................... 1 HISTORY AND BACKGROUND............................................................................................................... 1 UNDERSTANDING THE SALINITY OF THE RIVER............................................................................. 3 PROVISION FOR REVIEWING AND REVISING THE STANDARD .................................................... 7 NUMERIC CRITERIA................................................................................................................................. 8 PLAN OF IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................................. 9 General................................................................................................................................ 9 Federal Programs .............................................................................................................. 11 States Cost Sharing and Cooperative Agreements...........................................................